Vehicle body lifter



J Feb. 10, 925.

1,525,772 B. F. FITCH VEHICLE BODY LIFTER Original Filed March 22. 1922 Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

@UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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l Original application filed March 22, 1922, Serial No. 545,668. Divided and this application filed April 16, 1923.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and.

ranged to be suspended at four points from an overhead hoisting mechanism.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of mechanism for, permitting load engaging elements, particularly where a :2 radle is employed, to be directly connected" 'with'aload. The arrangement of beams forming the cradle is such as to prevent the use thereof for transmitting load stresses between the load and lifting cables.

Themeans for carryingout my invention will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the essential features will be summarized in the claims. y In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation 'ofa container showing a hoisting element embodying my invention above the container'; Fig. 2 is anend view of the hoisting element and container shown in Fig. 1; Fig.

l 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the preferred means for connecting the cradle to the load supporting hooks; Fig. 4; is. a. detail on an enlarged scale of the hinge connection for the transversebeams; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the lines 5-5 in Fig. 4;Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 66 in Fig. 3. V

[Oneof the uses of my invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein 10 indicates a container in the form of. aremovable body having provision adjacent the upper corners thereof for receiving load supporting elements which are adapted to be engaged by hoisting mechanism for raising and transporting the container. In handling freight by the use. of such containers, the usual practiceis to engage the container at the top. Accordingly, to transmit lifting stresses to thefloor of thecontainer, I have shown a 5 plate 11 which the hoisting mechanism is Serial No. 632,239.

adapted to engage as being connected to the base of the container by vertical strips 12 and diagonal strips 13. These plates are attached to the container and in the form illustrated are provided with a recess or pocket across which I have shown a member 14 which is adapted to be engaged by the hoisting elements.

To effect a simultaneous engagement of the four loadengaging members 18, I have illustrated a cradle comprising longitudinal beams 25 which are connected at the ends thereof by hinged transverse beams 26, and y 27" respectively; The longitudinally extending beams project beyond the ends of the load, while-the transverse beams are hinged at the mid-portion-of the cradle, as at 28, so that when the cradle is not supporting a load, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and by the full lines inFig. 2,,thex1nembers 25, 26 and 27 he approximately in the same plane. In this position, the load engaging members or hooks 18 clear the sidesof the container so that the cradle maybe dropped over a load by lowering the load supporting cables 30. V

To hold the transverse beams in extended position, that" is, to maintain the transverse beams in the same plane as the longitudinal beams, Ihave shown a yoke 31 which supports a hlnge p n 28 and which is provided with feet 32that are adapted to engage the beams 26and 27 for limiting the downward motion. Suitable cables 33 are connectedto the yoke members for controlling the opening and closing of the cradle. Thus, when movement of the hoisting cables is suspended, and the cables 33 areslackened, then the weight of the end members causes the cradle to open until the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 is attained.

To attach the load engaging members or hooks 18 to the longitudinal beams, I may employ a U-bolt 35 the, intermediate portion of which extends around the shank of the hook and the ends of which project through openings in the beam 25. The U-bolt may then be locked to the beam by nuts 37. By attaching the load engaging elements to the ends'of the supporting cables and by positioning such elements on the beams 25 so as automatically to register with the pockets in the plates 11, it is obvious thatall load stresses are transmitted directly through the elements or books and the hoisting cables.

Accordingly, the cradle beams may be of light construction sufiicient only to hold the hooks in proper position for registration with the pockets in the load.

To engage a load with a hoisting device embodying my invention, the cradle while in open or extended position is lowered until the hooks 18 are beneath thepockets in the load. Then the cables 30 may be raised whereupon the load is elevated and the hinge members 26 and 27 are automatically held in the position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that my invention provides a mech anism for simultaneously bringing a plurality of load engaging members on a hoist ing cradle in registration with cooperating members on the load, thus enabling the load to be engaged and raised by one man and obviating the necessity for individual attention to each load engaging member.

' llloreover, the cradle construction illustratlaterally moving ed, permits the load to be suspended Without any oft-he load stresses being transmitted through the cradle beams.

I claim 1. In combination, a cradle having side beams and hinged endbeams, load engaging members mounted on the side beams, and hoisting cables attached directly to said members, whereby the side frames are relieved of lifting stresses.

2. In combination, a cradle having longitudinal beams, hinged beams connecting the ends thereof, load engaging members carried by the longitudinal beams and projecting above and below said beams, and cables connected directly with the members above the beams. whereby the longitudinal means are relieved of lifting stresses.

3. A cradle having in combination longi tudinal beams and hinged end beams, load engaging hooks carried by the longi tudinal beams adjacent the ends thereof, the hooks being turned inwardly to engage a load when the cradle is buckled. and means for attaching hoisting cables to said hooks whereby the load stresses are carried only by the hooks and cables.

4.. The combination with four elevating cables. of four load engaging members attached directly to said cables respectively. a, pair of members each connecting two of the load engaging members, and means for said pair of members. whereby said pair of members are relieved from lifting stresses.

5. The combination with four elevating cables, of four load engaging members atta'ched to said cables respectively, a pair of side bars' each connecting two of the load engaging. members, and hinged cross-bars connected to the side bars for laterally moving them, the lifting stresses being carried independently of the side bars.

6. In a device for lifting loads, the combination with four load engaging members adapted to engage the load and having elevating devices attached directly to them, a pair of side bars each connected to two of said load engaging members to position them, but independent the lifting stresses. and means for spreading the side bars.

7. In a device for lifting loads, the combination with four load engaging members adapted to engage the load, elevating devices attached directly to said members. a pair of side bars each connected to two of said lead engaging members and two sets of hinged transverse bars for spreading the side bars.

In combination, a cradle having side beams and hinged end beams. load engaging members carried by the side beams, load supporting-cables attached to said members whereby lifting stresses are transmitted from the load directly to the lifting cables. the hinged connection for said end beams comprising a member having lateral extensions adapted to engage said members for limiting relative movement: thereof to hold the cradle in open position, and buckling cables attached to said connections.

9. In combination, a cradle having side beams and hinged end beams, hooks carried by said beams and. adapted'to engage a load. cables attached to the upper end of said hooks wherefore load stresses are transmitted from the load. directly to said cables. U-bolt incn'ibcrs around the shank of each hook fonco-nnecting-it to-the side beams. cables attached to the hinged connections for the end beams for buckling the load. and means associated with said extension for engaging the end beams and limiting the relative movement thereof. said means being arranged to hold the cradle normally in open position.

1O. In combination, av cradle having side beams, hooks carried by said beams and adapted to engage a load, cables attached to the iipper end of said hooks wherefore load stresses are t ansmitted from the load directy to said cables, and U-bolt members around the sh ankof each hook for connecting it to the side beams.

11. A lifting device having a positioning beam. hook carried by said beam and adapter to engage a load, a cable attached to the upper end of said hook. and a U-bolt around the shank of the hook for connecting it to the positioning beam.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto atfix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH. 

